Before She Sleeps Trivia Quiz

Answer:

Allison usually does things in pretty much the same order when she's getting ready for bed. Here's her routine. She:
Takes a bath - Since she's ten and a big girl, Allison can manage her bath by herself. Mom still looks in sometimes to make sure everything is okay and to lend a hand with washing her hair.

Puts on her pajamas - Once Allison has finished her bath, gotten out and dried herself thoroughly, she puts on her jammies. She has cotton pajamas for the summer and cozy, flannel pajamas for the winter, since she lives in Massachusetts, a part of the United States where it gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

Tosses her dirty clothes in the laundry hamper - After her bath, Allison carries her clothes back to her bedroom. There, she carefully puts away anything that can be worn again, like a skirt, jeans or a sweater/jumper. Everything else goes in her small laundry hamper. She knows that in some people's homes, like her friend Karen's, all the members of the family put their dirty clothes in one big hamper kept in the bathroom. Allison likes having her own hamper, that matches her waste basket.

Has a cup of cocoa - Allison is what Dad calls a creature of habit. On all but the hottest summer nights, she likes to have a cup of cocoa before bed. Sometimes, Mom tops it with marshmallows as a treat.

Brushes her teeth - Dr. Dempsey, the dentist, explained to Allison that good dental hygiene is very important. Not only does it help keep teeth and gums healthy, it contributes to good overall health. So, even though it's a bit of a bore, she brushes her teeth thoroughly morning and night.

Kisses Mom and Dad goodnight - By the time Allison has brushed her teeth and is ready, as Dad says, to retire for the evening (sometimes Dad says the silliest, most old-fashioned things!), Mom and Dad are settled in the living room. She might be a big girl, but she still needs goodnight hugs and kisses.

Pulls back the covers - Part of Allison's morning routine is making her bed. One of the last things she does at night is turning it down, that is pulling back the covers ready for her to hop in.

Says her prayers - Allison's family practices the Roman Catholic faith. When she was a very little girl, Mom taught her how to say her prayers. She thinks of it as a solemn and special part of her day, when she kneels down beside her bed and spends a few minutes with God. Some of her friends belong to different religions. She knows that means they worship and pray to God in different ways. Mr. Brown next door doesn't believe in God at all. Allison prays for all her family and friends, even Mr. Brown, because she knows that no matter what they believe, all people are special.

Turns on some music - Mom and Dad still have bulky, old fashioned junk like radios, record players and cassette decks. Allison can't see the point when you could have an MP3 player that's small enough to fit in your pocket and holds all the music you could possibly want. She sits on the side of her bed and selects her favorite songs and sets the sleep timer. She likes to set it for thirty minutes since, by the time the player switches itself off, she is usually asleep.

Switches off the light - The last thing Allison does before snuggling down in bed is turn off the bedside light. She's too big for a nightlight, but she does like to leave the door halfway open, so the room isn't too dark. She lies quietly, listening to the music and thinking sleepily about what she's going to do tomorrow till Mom or Dad looks in to say good night one more time. Then, she goes to sleep.

As for the red herrings:
Opening the curtains is one of the first things Allison does when she gets up in the morning. Riding her bike, helping in the yard and practicing are all things to do during the day. Helping with the dish washing/washing up may be a regular part of her chores. But even if she does the supper dishes, that would be a few hours before bedtime.